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With growing space industry demand, and the rise of satellite mega-constellations, a viable alternative to conventional xenon propellant is necessary to ensure a sustainable space industry. Today, Ane Aanesland, Dmytro Rafalskyi and Javier Martínez Martínez won the European Physical Society Plasma Physics Innovation Prize for the technological, industrial and societal applications of research in plasma physics through their pioneering development of iodine-fueled plasma-based electric propulsion systems for satellites.

Popular Mechanics

And it’s a good alternative to other expensive propellants like xenon and krypton. Here’s what you need to know.

L'Usine Nouvelle

À l’attaque du newspace. La deeptech tricolore Thrustme a récemment publié dans la prestigieuse revue « Nature » les résultats du premier vol en orbite de son moteur pour petits satellites fonctionnant à l’iode. Lancé en novembre 2020, il a permis de modifier à plusieurs reprises l’orbite d’un petit satellite de type cubesat, jusqu’à atteindre en six mois plus de 4 km de déplacements cumulés, contre 1,5 km espéré au départ.

The Riotact 

A Canberra-based physicist and engineer has played an important role in the world-first testing of a ground-breaking, iodine-fuelled electric satellite propulsion system.

ThrustMe principal engineer Dr Trevor Lafleur says in-orbit tests have confirmed iodine is a propellant that can provide small satellites with vital collision avoidance and deorbiting capabilities, as well as new manoeuvring and space exploration potential.

Nature Podcast

10:43 An iodine-fuelled engine for satellites

In space, many satellites use xenon-fuelled ‘electric propulsion systems’ to maneuver. However, xenon is rare and requires high-pressure storage systems, so researchers have been working to develop alternative fuels. This week, a team publish details of the first in-space test of an iodine-powered electric propulsion system, which they say has many advantages over xenon systems.

ThrustMe has successfully tested an iodine-fuelled electric propulsion system in space and results of this historic demonstration have been published today in one of the leading scientific journals, Nature. These results confirm for the first time that iodine is not only a viable alternative to conventional xenon propellant, but that it also enables extreme propulsion system miniaturization. This provides small satellites with new maneuvering and space exploration potential, and critical new collision avoidance and deorbiting capabilities that will prove vital for the long-term sustainability of the space industry.